King County environmental trends improve: fewer greenhouse gases, more water conservation
People in King County are driving less and using less gas, promising trends that could provide long-term benefits for our environment, according to according to the latest Environment Benchmark report by King County, which provides a comprehensive look at environmental trends in King County.

$78 million in federal stimulus grants for King County
Hundreds of local and regional jobs will be created or continued in King County as a result of federal stimulus grant money coming to the county. A new report from King County Executive Kurt Triplett outlines 39 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) stimulus funding grants King County applied for earlier this year.

King County's response to state audit
King County appreciates the effort by the Auditor to help the County improve its operations and maximize value to the taxpayer. However, the County respectfully disagrees with many statements in the audit and is disappointed that the auditor's office did not include all of the county's responses to statements in the published report. The following includes the county's response to statements and some findings in the audit.

Opportunity for public to weigh in on nominations of historic King County road corridors
King County residents are invited to provide public comment on the nomination of eight historic county roads as community landmarks at a public hearing hosted by the King County Landmarks Commission.

King County offices will be closed June 19 for furlough
On Friday, June 19, 2009, most King County staff will be on unpaid leave and most county buildings will be closed as the county takes the fifth of 10 furlough days in 2009 to cut operational costs countywide. All department employees, with limited exceptions, such as those in public safety functions, are included in the furlough plan.

King County will propose extension of jail contracts to cities
King County is preparing to offer a multi-year extension of contracts with the 36 cities it provides jail services to after a new analysis shows a decline in jail use. The new analysis of jail bed use seems to indicate a trend where construction of new jail space can be slowed, allowing the cities and county more time to explore how best to meet future needs.

Death of inmate while in custody
An inmate in the custody of the King County Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention died early this morning, June 4, 2009, at Harborview Medical Center. The person, an adult male, was booked into the King County Correctional Facility (KCCF) on June 1, and was transferred to Harborview on June 2, where he remained until his death.

Lifeboat funding to end for many services facing elimination while stop-gap measures save some public health, criminal justice and human services
More than three-quarters of a million in public health services and nearly a half million in human services that are in the figurative budget lifeboat will disappear July 1, 2009 because King County does not have enough money to sustain the services. But, using new funding tools granted by the legislature this spring, Executive Kurt Triplett is transmitting a $2.8 million 2009 supplemental budget today that gives six more months of funding for pandemic flu-related health services, unfunded mandates, some homeless services and a two-month reprieve for the Evergreen Pool in White Center.